Logic and good sense will determine who the “rotten peas in a pod” are

Oct 01, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I have the highest regard for Harry Gill as a patriotic Guyanese, and truly value our friendship. I also know of the lofty values and integrity of David Granger. For these reasons I feel compelled to comment on Harry Gill’s letter of Monday, September 26, in Kaieteur News.
Harry has for some inexplicable reasons suffered a metamorphosis, judging from the tone and content of his recent letters. His assault on the character of Malcolm Harripaul and Mark Archer is unfortunate but really not germane to the core political issues extant in Guyana.
It is his amazing statement as contained in his recent letter that “Bharrat Jagdeo can be proud of his achievements and the solid economic foundation he will be leaving to his successor, and he rightly deserves much credit for this”.
First, what successor? He should walk about with me to dispel this confidence about a successor. Second, any self-centered person will be proud of anything he does, good or bad.
But then he goes on to compare Donald Ramotar with David Granger, a monumental absurdity!
But very briefly we suppose the President’s need to be proud of:
1. His overseeing the expulsion of young American Missionaries who came to spread the gospel. Harry you should ask the US State Department their views on this.
2. The fact that under his administration the drug lord Roger Khan engineered the slaughter of young people in this country – Thanks to the US law enforcement agencies, he was held and is now in jail. Roger Khan publicly proclaimed his support and activism for the Jagdeo regime.
3. Their unfair treatment to the Georgetown City Council – when Dr. Jagdeo in breach of all protocol and respect for office engages the Deputy Mayor and not the Mayor.
4.  When a $65M contract is awarded for the Stanleytown sluice, when investigation reveals the value to be $14M. He was once Minister of Finance and said not a word, too, when the Ministry of Finance insulted our collective intelligence by stating that there was only one tender, hence the ridiculous award.
5. When under the PNC regime of twenty-eight (28) years only nine policemen were killed in the line of duty, plus five during the Rupununi uprising. While under the PPP/Jagdeo regime thirty-four (34) police ranks lost their lives in 19 years. These are facts not opinion, and any response need be by giving facts and figures.
6.  An education system which has now produced the highest dropout rate in the history of Guyana, where parents have to take to the streets to protest the conditions of the schools – A government that boasts how much money it generates?
7. The waste of State funds, and apparent corrupt contract arrangements. Harry you should visit the roads on which millions were spent, and a few months after are in pot holes.
8. When he sent as an Ambassador to a foreign country, a man who should be in Police custody for gun butting a young citizen and knocking down a man who now walks with the aid of crutches?
9. When Donald Ramotar denies knowing Ed Ahmad even though he was present and Mr. Gill may have been present at a fundraising for Ramotar in Queens, New York, Ahmad was a co-sponsor for a Ramotar fundraiser, but Ramotar in a public statement said he did not know him when US law enforcement did not allow him to leave the US.
Ahmad’s Lawyer tried to burnish his image by revealing his friendship with the President of Guyana, Jagdeo then admitted he had been a friend of Ahmad for fifteen years. The said Ahmad shipped four containers with 26 tons of materials to State House, and according to the HPS, Dr. Roger Luncheon, they were sent to President Jagdeo in his private capacity.
Harry has been to humble homes in Georgetown, where except for electrical and sanitary fittings everything else is of local material. But at a Builders’ Expo we boast how much local material we produce. Is it a case of do as I say, not do as I do?
10. The PPP-dominated Parliament passing a bill which apart from his hefty salary, the President will get as follows:
a) Payment in respect of the expenses incurred in the provision and use of water, electricity and telephone services at the place of residence {no limit set}
b) Services of personal and household staff including an attendant and a gardener – {no limit set}
c)  Services of clerical and technical staff – {limitless?}
d)  Free medical attendance and medical treatment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by him for the medical attendance or treatment of himself and the dependant members of his family – {comment, what does dependent member of family mean –how many and how close?
e)  Full –time personal security and services of the Presidential Guard Service at the place of residence {limitless again}
The provision of motor vehicles owned and maintained by the State {comment, how many and what type?}
f)  Toll free road transportation
g)  An annual vacation allowance equivalent to the cost of two first class return airfares provided on the same basis as that granted to serving members of the judiciary.
h)  Tax exemption status identical to that enjoyed by a serving President {comment, we have already seen how this was abused}
As is the case of the entire PPP/C Government – this is GREED – In the meantime, no special facility for former Prime Ministers.
Note Jagdeo’s benefits for one year after he stops being President – can feed, clothe,  house, pay transportation and buy books for over three hundred (300) ordinary families, yes 300 families. Believe it or not. Justice in Guyana – more eye pass – this is a world record.
Come on Harry – let’s be serious. The silver hair fox you talked about will give to our young people moral guidance by the example of a stable upright family man, of being a man who has shown stability and uprightness. This is what Guyana needs at this time, do you not agree?
This country needs more than anything else a leader who can provide the spiritual anchor and moral underpinning to turn our country around. Harry, our biggest problem is a loss of values.
David Granger, by example, will help us restore those lofty values – Everywhere, we judge a society by the quality of family life and community cohesion. I know we all fall short, but our Leaders must set the examples.
I will not deal with this nonsense about trying to connect Granger to rigging. Harry ask me if he wants, and what I can say, Granger had nothing to do with elections as such – whatever rigging or unrigging – but he should know that rigging means giving one side an unfair advantage.
The PPP is already rigging the upcoming elections by its control over radio, and most of television. What democracy, where the state-controlled Channel 11 is the only television station with full national coverage where others have been denied, where even the Freedom of Information Act passed in Parliament, now has put it on ice – be proud.
He promised to free up the telephone sector, but all of a sudden it has been put on hold. I hope that Harry believes in the truth and will respond specifically to these issues in this letter – and to remind him that the list I can produce for which he and Jagdeo ought not to be proud of is a long one.
Since Harry understands the workings of the US State Department, should we wonder why it is that in the region we are the only country where the USA has had reason to withdraw visas for two Ministers of Home Affairs and a Commissioner of Police.
Let us live by the truth, let us be serious of this legacy and I hope that he accepts the superiority of David Granger and his team as a means to lead Guyana out of darkness into light.
Did you notice Harry – Stabroek news cartoon of September 27, which showed your apparent mentor asking children to recite One People, One Nation and they continued One Radio Station?
This alone after 19 years of a return to democracy one can be proud, or Harry did you mean false pride?
Forget the other issues I mentioned, this alone condemns the Jagdeo regime.
Be proud over the fact that no proper account has been given for the many millions spent during the floods.
And did you on your last visit go to Pradoville 1 and 2, and ask what opportunities you and several Guyanese like yourself have to get for that kind of land and property to resettle in Guyana?.
I hope as a rational human being, you will comment on each and every one of these issues, logic and good sense will determine who the “rotten peas in a pod” are.
Hamilton Green, J.P., Mayor

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